Join the Conversation

Oregon-Davis beats Rivet 69-64 for Class A title

Jeff Skirvin, Associated Press
2:57 p.m. EST March 8, 2014

Oregon-Davis girls celebrate their 69-64 victory over Vincennes Rivet in the IHSAA Class A girls basketball state final game at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute on Saturday, March 8, 2014.
(Photo: Charlie Nye/The Star)

The senior guard scored a career-high 35 points, setting a Class A record, in leading the Bobcats to a 69-64 victory over Vincennes-Rivet in the girls Class A state basketball championship Saturday.

Campbell was hot from the start and helped deliver the knockout blow from the foul line late. The Bobcats (23-2) were in control most of the game, but the Patriots cut the lead to 67-62 lead with 57 seconds to play.

Campbell calmly stepped to the foul stripe and knocked down the final two of her 12 free throws. That closed the door on a Vincennes-Rivet comeback. Campbell said she was not aware she was on a record pace as she continued to create ways to score.

Oregon-Davis girls celebrate their 69-64 victory over Vincennes Rivet in the IHSAA Class A girls basketball state final game at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute on Saturday, March 8, 2014. (Photo: Charlie Nye / The Star)

Oregon-Davis girls celebrate their 69-64 victory over Vincennes Rivet in the IHSAA Class A girls basketball state final game at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute on Saturday, March 8, 2014.
(Photo: Charlie Nye/The Star)

Oregon-Davis' Ashley Campbell cuts down the net after she and her Bobcat teammates defeated Vincennes Rivet 69-64 in the IHSAA Class A girls basketball state final game at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Campbell was the game's high scorer with 35 points and played the entire game. (Photo: Charlie Nye / The Star)

Oregon-Davis girls Head Coach Terry Minix hugs daughter Lexi Minix after their team's 69-64 victory over Vincennes Rivet in the IHSAA Class A girls basketball state final game at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute on Saturday, March 8, 2014. (Photo: Charlie Nye / The Star)

Oregon-Davis' Ashley Campbell passes the ball off to a teammate in the closing minute as the Bobcats defeat Vincennes Rivet 69-64 in the IHSAA Class A girls basketball state final game at the Hulman Center in Terre Haute on Saturday, March 8, 2014. Campbell was the game's high scorer with 35 points and played the entire game. In front are Meg Herman (left) and Bailey Dreiman. (Photo: Charlie Nye / The Star)

Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:

"When you're in that zone, you don't stop to think about much of anything," Campbell said. "You can't hear anything but your teammates. And when you're in that zone, nothing else matters."

Her performance was the first 30-point game in a state final since Carmel's Chrissy Steffen had 31 in 2008 and helped Oregon-Davis claim its second state title since 2006-07.

"These kids are a determined group of kids," Oregon-Davis coach Terry Minix said. "After watching the '07 team, they wanted to emulate that. And once the tournament started, they turned it up a notch."

Senior guard Jessica Avarone pitched in with 16 points, four rebounds and three steals. Her efforts on defense contributed to the pressure Vincennes-Rivet felt from the Bobcats for most of the game. She also banked in a 3-pointer from 28 feet to beat the first-quarter buzzer.

Vincennes-Rivet was led by sophomore guard Kelsey Ivers, who scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds. Senior forward Lauren Herman added 21 for the Patriots (22-5). Herman was then named the Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude award winner.

After falling behind 15-4 early in the game and trailing by double digits much of the contest, Vincennes-Rivet clawed its way back into the game by outscoring Oregon-Davis in both the third and fourth quarters.

The Patriots had pulled within five before Campbell iced the game. They attempted to erase a 10-point deficit with less than three minutes to play and control appeared to be slipping away from Oregon-Davis.

But Campbell calmly stepped up when her team needed her, and Vincennes-Rivet's attempt at a late comeback was thwarted.